Toy vacuum sweeper



y 1941- T. A. SCHAAD 2,248,390-

TOY VACUUM SWEEPER Filed Jul 5., .1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 7zoibrefljaiadi ATTORNEY July 8, 1941. 1'. A. SCHAAD 8.39

TOY vmum SQEEPER 1 Filed July 5, 1,940 2 sneaks-sheet 2 INVENTOR 77641012 11545444 Patented July 8, 1941 TOY VACUUM sWEEPEn Theodore A. Schaad, Detroit, Mich.

Application July 5, 1940', Serial No. 343,989

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in toys. The primary object of the invention is. to provide a novel, attractive and realistic toy simulating a vacuum sweeper.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy vacuum sweeper which, when pushed over a carpet or the like, simulates a vacuum sweeper both in noise and in dust bag inflation but without actually performing the usual vacuum cleaning operation.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a toy vacuum sweeper embodying the invention, the dust bag thereof being omitted.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the toy vacuum sweeper disclosed in Fig. 1 including a showing of the imitation dust bag thereof in its inflated position.

Fig. 3' is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2 with the imitation dust bag omitted. V

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view showing a preferred siren construction taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken on the line 55' of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several. views, the toy vacuum sweeper embodying the invention disclosed therein comprises a base Ill, intermediate siren section I l and hood I? all formed to simulate a vacuum r cleaner of usual commercial construction when secured together, an operating handle 13 pivotally connected to the top of the intermediate siren section H, a siren impeller 14 rotatably mounted in the intermediate siren section I I, and

59, top 29 and a bottom closure Z l extending from the front l8 to a'pointrearwardof the depending shaft Hill of the siren impeller'ld. A transverse partition 22 is provided rearward of a brush 23 located at the front end of the base It to prevent dust and dirt from the said brush element The base section [0 is 23 from being drawn through "the siren section it into the reticulated imitation dust bag [5. The brush 23 is preferably formed integral with or fixed on a transverse shaft 24 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 25 formed in vertically dis-- posed spaced ears 26 struck up from the bottom closure 2i at the same time the brush aperture 2 lil is provided as shown in Figs. 1 and 2'. Apa'ir of wheels 21 are fixed on the transverse shaft 24 near the ends thereof and serve as the "mobile means for the front of the toyvacuum sweeper;

The rear of the base H] has a pair of vertically disposed spaced ears 28 extending rearwardly from the side members [9' through which the. axle 29 of the dual rear'wheel 30' ismounted. The said dual rear wheel 3 is provided with spaced anti-friction treads 3| and has a belt: groove 32 formed therebetween into which is disposed a flexible belt 33 employed to rotate the siren impeller It. The depending shaft M0 of the said impeller hi extends through a suitable aperture H60 in the bottom closure 2| and has fixed thereon a pulley 34 around which the flexible belt 33 is stretched.

It will be observed that the pair of spaced cats 26 may be flexed'to admit of mounting an'dvremoval of the brush 23 and front wheels 21 carried by the shaft 24 and that the pair'of' spaced ears 28 may be flexed to admit of mounting and removal of the axle 29 and the dual rear wheel 30. Afolded canvasbumper '35 is preferably secured around the front I 8 and forward portion of the sides I9 of the base l0.

The intermediate siren section H comprises a t0p'35 and sides 31 and is secured overthe top 20- of the base lib. A semi-circular partition 38 secured-within the said siren section II- and abutting against the top 36 thereof and the top 20 of the base Hl forms, together with the forward portion of the sides 31 of the said siren section it, an impeller chamber 39 in which the siren impeller it rotates. The said semi-circular partition 38- is provided with aplural-ity of circumferentially spaced fixed siren orifices 40 through which air from the siren impeller-is forced during the rotation thereof. Air from the said siren impeller passes through the rearwardly disposed neck M of the siren section II and out the rear air passage it therefrom into a reticulated bag l5 which has its open end secured over the rear air passage 16 by such means as a rubber band 42 which engages the said rearwardly disposed neck 4 lat the peripheral groove 43 formed therearound with the said reticulated bag t5:

' therebetween.

The said impeller shaft I40 is preferably shouldered at both ends and is mounted for free rotation through a lower bearing 44 and an upper bearing 45 fixed in the top 20 of the base I and the top 36 of the intermediate siren section II respectively. The siren impeller I4 has a central hub 46 which is mounted for free rotation around the said impeller shaft I40, has a circular top 41, a continuous periphery 48, and a plurality of generally radially disposed blades 49, all as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The said continuous periphery 46 of the siren impeller I4 has a plurality of circumferentially spaced air outlets 50 therein formed to register with the fixed siren orifices 40 in the said semi-circular partition 38 forming one side of the impeller chamber 39 as the said impeller rotates.

The central hub 46 of the siren impeller I4 has a suitable core of a bearing material such as iron or brass which not only serves as a sleeve bearing for the hub 46 around the siren impeller shaft I40 but the said core 5| gives the impeller inertia to maintain itself spinning after once set in motion. The top of the said core 5| is kept down from the top of the hub 46 of the siren impeller I4 to form a clutch chamber 52 into which is positioned a clutch member 53 and a plurality of clutch rollers 54, the said clutch member 53 being keyed to the siren impeller shaft I40 and formed into cams 530 which urge the clutch rollers 54 into wedged engagement between the clutch member 53 and the inner periphery 460 of the hub 46 when the impeller shaft I40 turns the clutch member 53 in the direction indicated by the arrow 55 in Fig. 4.

Whenever the siren impeller I4 rotates at a speed faster than the impeller shaft I40, the clutch rollers are carried by the inner periphery 460 of the hub 46 out of engagement therewith and the impeller then rotates freely by its own inertia independent of the impeller shaft I40. Suitable apertures 56 in the top 20 of the base I0 located in circumferentially spaced relationship around the lower impeller shaft bearing 44 permit air to be drawn into the siren impeller I4 through the aperture 2I60 in the bottom closure 2| of the base Ill.

The moving forward of the toy vacuum sweeper over a carpet or the like rotates the impeller I4 through the belt drive 33 from the dual rear wheel 30 to the impeller shaft I40 and through the clutch member 53 as hereinbefore described in detail. The said impeller I4 draws air from below the sweeper and forces the said air through its air outlets 50 and through the fixed siren orifices 40 out the rear air passage I5 of the siren section II through the reticulated imita tion dust bag I5. The siren impeller I4, its air outlets 56, and its fixed orifices 46 are so proportioned as to pitch the siren to simulate the noise of a fullsized vacuum sweeper. The size of the mesh of the said reticulated dust bag I5 is such as will permit air from the siren to flow relatively freely therethrough and yet cause the bag to become inflated by its resistance to air passing therethrough. Thus, in a simulation of a vacuum sweeper, the combination herein disclosed of a siren having its discharge directed through a reticulated bag produces the sound effect of a full-sized operable vacuum sweeper with the additional desirable visual effect of bag inflation.

The hood I 2 is formed dome-shaped, is slotted at 51 to permit the operating handle I3 to extend therethrough, and is secured over and to the top 36 of the intermediate siren section II. The said handle I3 is pivoted by means of a suitable fitting I30 on a horizontally disposed pivot 58 extending transversely through a pair of suitable supporting angles 59 welded or otherwise secured to the top 36 of the said intermediate siren section II.

Within the hood I2 is preferably mounted a flash light battery 60 on suitable spring clips 6| secured to the top 36 of the intermediate siren section II and is urged by the forward leg 62 of a U-shaped spring contact 63 against the bottom contact of a head light bulb 64 which is threaded into a suitable bracket 65 secured to and grounded to the top 36 of the siren section II. The said U-shaped spring contact 63 is secured in insulated relationship to the top 36 of the said siren section I I and has its rear leg 66 positioned for contact by the contactor 61 on the lower end of the operating handle fitting I30, the said contactor 61 being grounded to the top 36 of the siren section II through the operating handle fitting I30, the pivot 50 and the pair of pivot supporting angles 59.

When the operating handle I3 employed for pushing the toy vacuum sweeper herein disclosed is moved from its vertical position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to the position indicated by the dot and dash lines in Fig, 2, the head light 64 becomes lighted whereby to further simulate a commercial modern vacuum sweeper.

The various elements of the toy vacuum sweeper herein disclosed may be secured together by the usual tab and slot construction indicated by the numeral 10 throughout the drawings and some of the parts thereof may be welded or riveted together in a manner well known to those skilled in the metal working art.

The applicant has herein provided a toy vacuum sweeper which does not'pick up dirt but which perfectly simulates a commercial modern vacuum cleaner in both noise of operation, visual bag inflating and, coupled therewith, the applicant has included inexpensive head light means adapted to shine when the operating handle of the toy vacuum sweeper is moved to a position in which the toy may be operated by pushing over a carpet or the like.

Although but one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described in detail, it is obvious that many changes may be made in size, shape, arrangement and detail of the various elements of the invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention other than by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a toy vacuum sweeper including mobile means therefor, a siren pitched to simulate the noise of a vacuum sweeper including an impeller, an air inlet thereto and an air outlet therefrom, a reticulated bag fixed over said siren outlet, and means for rotating the impeller of the said siren operable by said mobile means responsive to pushing the toy across the floor whereby to simulate the noise of a vacuum sweeper, the said reticulated bag having suitably spaced mesh to admit of inflation thereof by air passing therethrough without unduly impeding passage of air from the said siren.

2. In a toy vacuum sweeper including mobile means therefor, a siren pitched to simulate the noise of a vacuum sweeper including an impeller, an air inlet thereto and an air outlet therefrom, a reticulated bag fixed over said siren outlet, means for rotating the impeller of the said siren operable by said mobile means responsive to pushing the toy across the floor whereby to simulate the noise of a vacuum sweeper, and clutch means associated with said means for rotating the impeller and permitting said impeller to rotate freely when the speed of the means for rotating the same lags with respect to the rotation of the impeller.

3. In a toy vacuum sweeper including mobile means therefor. a siren pitched to simulate the noise of a vacuum sweeper including an impeller, an air inlet thereto and an air outlet therefrom, a reticulated bag fixed over said siren outlet, means for rotating the impeller of the said siren operable by said mobile means responsive to pushing the toy across the floor whereby to simulate the noise of a vacuum sweeper, and clutch means associated with said means for rotating the impeller and permitting said impeller to rotate freely when the speed of the means for rotating the same lags with respect to the rotation of the impeller, the said reticulated bag having suitably spaced mesh to admit of inflation thereof by air passing therethrough without unduly impeding passage of air from the said siren.

4. In a toy vacuum sweeper including a housing and mobile means therefor, an air inlet to said housing and an air outlet therefrom, a retioulated hag fixed over said air outlet, means THEODORE A. SCHAAD. 

